Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-08
PRETTY SHOP GIRLS.
An Interesting Sight on Tower broadway
When They Are Out i'm Force.

When They Are Out i'm Force.
1t is pleasure TO walk up Broadway
from Chambers 10 Blocker street any
bright afternoon from $50 TO clock,
says New York correspondent. Nearly
every one of the big buildings within
those limits has factories on every floor,
where hundreds and thousands OF girls
are employed in making clothing, under
wear necktics, Cloaks, fancy boxes and
other articles of luxury and necessity.
Pretty much all of them are between the
ages of ii and %. BY the time they are
% they are either married or swept away,
no one knows where Most of these
factories close at $50 and the girls hurry
on their wraps and start for home, and
great numbers of them live in BROOKLYN
and New jersey, where board and lodg-
ing is much cheaper than IN New ork,
and so they walk down Broadway TO the
ferries They are rs handsome q set OF
girls as can be found anywhere. Like
nearly all American women, they have the
knack of dressing bccomnglY, and their
trim and shapcly figures are shown OF 20
good advantage They do not look dis
contented if bright and cheerful faces are
any criterion, and they chatter mcruly as
they pass along two or three at time.
They have the independent bearing OF
= =
and are not dependent ON any man tor sup
port. Some of the prettiest are accompa-
MED by young mcB-perhaps some OF the
clerks who have taken fancy TO them.
Nearly all of them have been pupils in the
public schools. They read the newspapers
and can talk clcyerly. \ vast amount
of rot is printed about them, hut
in point of fact they are as jolly
and contcntcd a lot OF young women
rs can be found anywhere IN the world.
There is a great outCry on the part oil the
atrical, short haired and atmospheric phil
antrophists, at times, because factory and
shop girls DO not give up their employment
and seek homes as servants IN uptown
families The girl knows what she is
about The bcdragglcd maid of all work,
nagged by silly mistress, abused by a
) horde of snappy children, and saddled with
thousand cares has one night out week,
when she has an opportunity TO be courtcd
by the COaChmau or the hOstlCr. The
working girl is her own mistress absolutely
from the time She leaves the factory at q
o'clock in the evening until She returns 40
5 the following morning Her inIcpcn-
dence is absolute, and during her hours of
freedom she is as much 4 lady as The wife
Of the President. She visits her friends
and receives the calls Of men who arc by no
means TO bc dcspised IN the matrimonial
market \ great and welcome change
has come over public opinion respecting
women who have the courage, faith, and
energy 10 go out in the world and make
themselves the arbitcrs of their own tu-
lures instead of mOping at home, a burden
10 their friends and a trial TO their rc.a-
tives. That Workingwomen command i'm
many instances the highest respect cannot
be denied by any man who has an init
mate knowledge of New York life There
are ladies Of high culture, finished accom-
plishments, and many graccs OI mind and
person in the boarding houses Of New
York who are the popular leaders OF little
social circles despite the fact that thcy are
employed during the day There arc
grades of labor and women have learned
to look the world il the face and fight for
the best fields
ills MarriaEe-I &c.
We have sometimes wondered il it
would not be advantageous 10 ministers if
marriagcfCcs were paid. not al the time of
the wedding, but subsequcntly-say u
month or two afterwards. In most in
stances, it is TO be presumed, the husband
would by that time be in state Of mind to
which the most generous fee would seem
none too large. Possibly there might be
cases in which neither the bride nor the
groom feel any gratitude 10 the minister
Tor having performed the ceremony.
On the whole, therefore, Clcrgymcn will
probably continue 10 reckon q bird in The
hand worth two in the bush; especially in
view of possible exceptional cascs-likc
the following which We extract from q
Dakota newspaper:
"Mr. lngham went into the country,
away down in Iowa, one cold, clustering
al TO ttI,tffff- 4
ceremony. the elder IOiucd i'm the lcstiv-
tiles Of the occasion long enough Co be
sociahle, and then went away-as empty
in purse as when he came.
'SOme weeks aftcrward he met the
groom in the village and after some hcm-
ming and having, the latter said, wen,
elder, don't | owe yc littlc suthin' for
that job We done for mcY
Oh, that's a matter TO be left entirely
with you, said Mr.. Iugham.
Well, Of ye say owe We anything,
why, I'LL pay ye what's right, said the
man of bliss
We never set price on matters Of
that kind, said The elder, becoming alittle
amused.
lowell, Of course, Of don't owe We
nuihn', why, I'm much oblececd. elder.
much oblecgcd, and Then, as ii TO rcas-
sure himself hc said. Why. elder. Of ye
want anything fer it, Ia be glad to pay
ye.
Ny good man. said Mr. Ingam. an.
noycd by this time, 4 can't set any price
on that kind of service. II YOU think you
owe me anything. pay It, Ii motif it
wasn't worth anything to you-why,
don't
The fellow started TO GO, and then in
remOrs ful moment Of careless and hruu.i-
cent generosity Lo TUNED aud said. Why.
elder, III tell We what I'll Go: When yurc
comm, by my place some day, stop in and
Ill give ye jug of milk.